


The Chairman Likes You

by Juliette_heronstairs_apples



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alpha Magnus Bane, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, Light Angst, Mpreg, Multi, Omega Alec Lightwood, because i'm a sucker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-05 22:50:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19050070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juliette_heronstairs_apples/pseuds/Juliette_heronstairs_apples
Summary: A small au of Alec as an awkward barista and Magnus as a regular customer who totally only comes for the coffee. Mainly Malec, and the title has basically nothing to do with the story. I just needed a title.





	1. Chapter 1

Alec didn't  _hate_ working at the coffee shop. He just found it mind- numbingly boring. As most baristas do. His sister had a peculiar love for her job, because she got to meet people, but honestly to Alec that was the worst part. And his sister took completely different shifts. The only person who made it bearable was the barista who took his shift with him, Catarina. She basically knew everything and to be honest Alec wasn't quite sure why she kept him around. 

One Saturday, the shop was entirely empty except for a family of what seemed to Alec to be about 40, with the majority of that number kids, and an old couple who looked just about ready to leave. So it wasn't empty at all, actually. Alec wondered how it was possible to mess up your  _thoughts._

The family started to leave, which made Alec very happy, but then rush hour started. There shouldn't be a rush hour on a Saturday, but everyone seemed to go out at a certain time and always wanted a coffee before they did. Alec tried to hide behind the coffee machines, but because they were fixed to the wall it didn't work. 

Suddenly, he smelt the most beautiful scent, so brilliant he had to lean against the wall for a second. He glanced over, and saw Catarina talking animatedly to... Oh.

Well,  _hello there._

Quite possibly the most attractive man in the world was chatting to Catarina, with perfectly styled dark hair, an honestly superb ass that was accentuated by black and gold skinny jeans, perfect, gorgeous gold-green eyes... And an angry queue behind him, waiting for a barista. Alec quickly stopped leaning on the wall and went over. 

He kept sneaking glances at Mr. Hottie, but he seemed perfectly content to keep talking to Catarina. Possibly they were- no. No way. They couldn't be dating? Catarina would have said something. Surely. Needless to say, Alec spent the rest of his shift in agony. 

As usual, he walked with Catarina to the train station, thinking furiously and wondering if he should say anything. Catarina kept giving him amused looks, as if aware of his inner turmoil, until finally, "Catarina, was that guy your boyfriend?"

That seemed to shock her. "Who,  _Magnus?_ My boyfriend? You're kidding."

He took that as a no.

"He's just a friend." She smirked at him. "A single friend, who happens to be a bisexual Alpha."

Alec felt his heart rate pick up. "Should you really be outing him to me?" He asked absentmindedly.

Catarina grinned. "No, but he'll thank me later."

Alec looked at her, confused, but they had reached the train station and they parted ways. 

* * *

The next day, Alec had a shift again, with Clary this time. He cursed inwardly; he liked Clary, but he would have to wait to interrogate Catarina again. She only did shifts on Thursdays and Saturdays. But Clary seemed to figure something was up. She grinned at him and told him to spill.

10 minutes and dozens of customers later, Alec and Clary finished their debate on whether or not Alec should say something, and whether Magnus would turn up again, because Mr. Hottie himself appeared. The smell alone nearly sent Alec into overdrive. Clary smiled and pushed him a little. "Go get your man," she whispered.

Alec stumbled to a halt in front of Magnus, bright red. 

"H-hi, do you- coffee? Milk. Omeg- coffee! Let me take your order?" 

Alec was this close to dying of sheer humiliation. But Magnus didn't seem to mind, as instead of giving him a weird look and switching to Clary he laughed gently. "So you must be Alec. Catarina's mentioned you."

Alec swallowed and nodded. "All good things?" He swore his voice wasn't usually this high-pitched.

Magnus grinned wickedly and Alec's heart stopped. "So how about coffee?"

"Oh- yeah, sorry, got a bit distracted- what would you like?" 

"Latte, no sugar. To go."

"Coming right up." Alec smiled shyly at Magnus, and he could have sworn Magnus blushed a bit. But it must have been just a trick of the light, because next second he was back to his usual suave self. 

Going to give Magnus his coffee, he hesitated. Then, after a nod and a  _you got this_ from Clary, he wrote his number on Magnus' cup. With shaking hands, he gave it to Magnus.

Magnus walked off, sipping from the cup. But at the doorway, he saw Magnus pause, turn and give Alec a huge, beaming grin.

* * *

Magnus became a regular customer, and although Alec was too shy to talk to him much, they texted all the time. Sometimes it was easier when you weren't face to face, and Alec could read through what he said before he sent it. He grew used to seeing Magnus on his shifts, and one time when Magnus didn't show up, he grew ridiculously worried, texting Magnus to check if he was ok. Magnus had been ill, but he told Alec not to worry about it. Alec, being Alec, worried anyway.

* * *

One Friday evening, Alec's sister Izzy showed up at his flat, with her posse behind her. Actually, it was a pretty small posse, and it wasn't like Clary, Simon or Jace were particularly terrifying, but Izzy made up for them, and they managed to look large when crowding Alec's cramped hallway.

"So," Izzy pushed him onto a couch, then sat down next to him. "Brother. I hear from my sources that you have a crush?" 

Clary grinned and waved at Alec unashamedly. Alec scowled.

"It's not- it's not like that," he tried. "We don't really talk, we only text-" He stopped, and mentally kicked himself.

"You HAVE HIS NUMBER?!" Izzy squealed deafeningly. "Why didn't you tell me? Oh, we'll have you two going on dates in no time."

"Izzy,  **no.** " She stopped at his tone of voice. "I've let you interfere before, but this is different. I don't want to mess this up just because all you care about is your brother getting laid, because you're embarrassed or something. Magnus might not even like me back. Can you just think about someone else for once? Can you just  _let this be?!"_

The room was utterly silent. Izzy looked completely crushed, the broken expression on her face making Alec immediately regret what he had just said. 

"Look, I-" he rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm sorry. I messed up, I didn't mean that. You've always helped, but... if I'm going to get Magnus to like me, it will be on my own terms. Izzy?" 

She still looked shattered. "Alec-" She stopped, cleared her throat, started again. "Alec, I'm not ashamed of you. I didn't know you felt like that. I'm not trying to get you laid, I- I was afraid you might be lonely. I just." A sigh. "I was trying to help. Sorry."

Alec felt incredibly awkward. He glared at Jace, Clary and Simon, who were watching it like it was a film. "Can you three knock it off?" 

They mumbled, cleared their throats and looked aggrieved. Jace looked extremely insulted that he had been lumped in with Clary and Simon.

Alec turned back to his sister, her scent clouded with sorrow. He gave her an awkward hug, then sighed and said, "You can interfere, Izzy. Nothing will happen if you don't, anyway."

She smiled slightly tearfully at him, "I won't interfere. You'll get your man on your own, Alexander Lightwood."

Alec was seriously regretting the whole thing. There was no way he had a hope in hell of Magnus liking him without Izzy. But she seemed to have taken his speech to heart. He felt another pang of guilt. 

They ended up watching a movie, but it was Me Before You, so everyone cried instead of cheering up as they were supposed to. Even Jace cried, though he denied it. Izzy was leaning against Simon, his arms around her and her head on his shoulder. 

Afterwards, they ate a ton of artery clogging snacks, instead of during the movie. Simon and Clary started a food fight, because of course, and Izzy seemed back to herself as she joined in enthusiastically. Alec still kept a worried eye on her, though. 

They ended up falling asleep in the living room. Jace, the greedy bastard, took the couch, while Alec and Izzy slept uncomfortably propped up against the sofa, giving both of them neck cricks when they woke up. Simon slept with his head on Izzy's lap, with Clary next to him.

* * *

 

Saturday morning, Alec had a shift at the coffee shop. He got to the shop, and he and Catarina had fun making faces at each other every time a customer came in. 

Suddenly, Magnus appeared. "Hey, Cat, could you fill in while I talk to Alexander? If that's ok with you, Alec." He flashed a smile, and Alec couldn't do anything but agree. 

They sat together at a table at the back of the shop, a conversation starting despite Alec's awkwardness. They were in a heated debate about Buffy the vampire slayer, when Magnus paused, and said, "You know, you sound as though you haven't watched enough. Want to come round to my place sometime to watch some more episodes?" 

"Actually, I've watched them all." Alec kicked himself. What did it matter that he had watched them all? He had just been asked on a date and he  _turned Magnus down._ What an idiot.

Magnus didn't seem to mind, though. "Come round anyway?" He smiled, and Alec smiled back. 

"I would love to."

Magnus winked. "Then I guess it's a date."

* * *

 

Alec sort of wanted to die as he rang Magnus' doorbell, but to his surprise he also sort of didn't. He wanted to know what would happen, he wanted it to work out, because Magnus was quite possibly the most attractive Alpha he'd ever met.

The doorbell opened, and Alec nearly cried, because his wish had been fulfilled. He had died: this was clearly heaven. Magnus was in ripped white skinny jeans, with a gold chain for a belt. He wore a leather jacket and a bright red top with the devil picked out in golden sequins. The tips of his hair had been dyed red to match. 

Alec just stood there, gaping a bit, until Magnus tried to hide a smile and raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Are you just going to stand there, or can I invite you in?" 

Alec spluttered a bit, and stepped inside, feeling extremely underdressed. The man had eyeliner on, for heaven's sake. Alec was no match for this overly competent and ridiculously handsome man.

Magnus didn't seem to think so as he led Alec through to his living room. He had two cups and a bottle of champagne on the table, and Alec sat down gingerly and tried not to spill his drink.

The whole thing was very awkward, nothing like their texts or the conversation at the coffee shop, and Alec realised the whole thing was a mistake. There was no way anything could come of this. Alec was introverted Omega, this man was the complete opposite, he should just give up and leave- 

"So you want to be a stripper, eh?" 

"What?" Alec spluttered and flailed a bit. Magnus grinned.

"So you were paying attention. You know, enjoyable as it is sitting in silence with you, it could be even nicer if we striked up a conversation."

Alec opened his mouth, closed it again, and nodded.

Magnus sighed.

"Look," he put down his glass, "I admit this is partially my fault. I haven't been a very good host, sitting here tongue tied by your scent. But I have tried to get past that- you're brilliant, by the way, is it your shower gel or just you because it's amazing- and you tell me if you want to keep talking, or rather start talking, or watch something, or go out, or do whatever. What do you want to do?" 

Well, they wouldn't be able to get a conversation started, probably, so not that, and going out could be awkward. Watching a film or a tv show would give them something to talk about. He told Magnus, who nodded and turned on the tv.

They watched parts of old films, never watching the whole thing, sometimes flicking to the end if they were interested, though they only flicked to the end of While You Were Sleeping so Magnus could prove he'd been right. After about 7 films (or parts of them) the conversation was going nicely; Alec had even laughed once or twice, and Magnus seemed especially happy when he did. After a while, they wandered into the kitchen, searching for food, and when they reached for the Doritos at the same time and their hands met, it was exactly like the rom-coms they'd been watching. 

When it started to get darker, Alec stood up regretfully and said he should leave. Magnus didn't openly protest, but seemed disinclined to actually let him leave, filling his glass again, walking him to the kitchen instead of the door, so on. Then, when Alec finally managed to get to the door, he was waylaid by Magnus' adorable, ridiculously small cat. He couldn't help but bend down and play with the cat, who kept trying to climb on top of his head. When he looked up, Magnus was smiling softly, with just a little suggestive twinkle in his eyes. 

"The Chairman likes you," he pointed out. Alec chuckled and stood up again, dropping Chairman Meow to the floor, which he was not pleased about. 

"I suppose I'd better stay, then," said Alec mock- reluctantly. Magnus grinned back. 

"I suppose you'd better."

* * *

Needless to say, the date was a success.

 


	2. An Important Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is for Lhs_malec, who encouraged me to write it.

**2 years later**

* * *

Magnus wandered through the crowd idly, looking for anyone he might know. He stopped at the bar, ordered a shot of whisky because you only live once, and looked around again. Being tall had its advantages: he could make everyone out.

Suddenly he spotted Catarina, and he grinned and started making his way towards her. She was holding a champagne glass in her hand, and when she saw him she tilted it at him in a toast. Magnus mouthed  _what?_ at her, but she only smiled. When they'd reached each other, he asked her why she'd toasted him, but she would only say that it was a very special occasion.

"Yes, about Ragnor, because this is his book launch, not mine. Why are you toasting me?"

She shook her head. "It's a special occasion," she repeated. For a Beta, she could be remarkably (and irritatingly) strong willed. Magnus rolled his eyes and gave up.

Then Ragnor appeared on stage, gave a speech, and everyone clapped. Magnus had absolutely no idea what this speech was about, however, because his attention was focused on trying to find Alec. He couldn't smell or see him anywhere. Catarina nudged him at one point, telling him to stop peering around rudely, "listen, he's mentioning that time in Bangkok" but Magnus had suddenly become extremely irrationally worried. His Omega was missing, and the Alpha in him did not like that at all.

Then someone else appeared on stage, and Magnus couldn't believe his eyes.

It was Alec.

His Alec, his introverted, painfully shy Alec, was on stage, about to  _give a speech._ Alec and Ragnor weren't even that close; what was he doing? He looked at Catarina in confusion, and she just looked back, a small smile on her face.

Then it clicked.

"This was what you meant, wasn't it?" He hissed. "What's he- oh my God."

Alec cleared his throat, got down on one knee, and started speaking.

"Magnus, you have changed my life. I started off as an introverted background character, with a few friends, even less exes, and no social life to speak of. I didn't think one man I met by chance could change all of that, could make me happier about life and about myself, could challenge and change me for the better. 

But that was before I met you. You've always been there, you've always accepted, helped and above all loved me. I wake up next to you every morning, and I think, I never want this to end. I always want you to be the first and last thing I see every day. I always want to talk to you, want to be with you; even when we argue I can tell, somehow, that we're going to make up, because any future without you in it is the bleakest, most miserable future I can imagine. So. Magnus Bane." A pause. The sound of a whole room holding their breath. 

"Will you marry me?" 

Everyone started cheering, while parting so that Alec and Magnus could see each other properly. All Magnus could think to say was, "He did that whole thing on one knee. That must have been painful." Catarina laughed, and kicked him. "Say something to him, you moron!" 

He didn't even have to think about it.

"Where's the ring?" 

The whole room burst out laughing. He grinned up at Alec, feeling impossibly light, and Alec grinned back and threw a small red box at him with unerring aim. Magnus got down one knee solemnly, opened the box, and slid the ring onto his own finger, which made people laugh again. He looked up again.

"Yes, I will marry you, Alexander Lightwood." The cheering started up again, even louder than before. He spotted Izzy in tears, leaning on Simon, who wasn't quite in tears but very close, and he smiled at them. He saw Jace and Clary, clapping as hard as they could. Catarina looked so proud; even Ragnor was smiling, and Raphael looked bored but not as dead inside as he usually did. But most of all he saw Alec, his  _fiancé,_ beaming down at him. 

* * *

 

The wedding was a simple affair. There were only three flamingos. 

Magnus' best man was Ragnor, obviously, and Alec's was Jace. There were masses of people invited: almost all of Magnus' exes, because why make it awkward with family when you could make it really awkward with exes, and speaking of family pretty much every relative they knew was invited too, although not everyone approved of the wedding *cough*Robert Lightwood*cough*. 

It was held on Sunny Isles Beach, in Florida. The flamingos were a favour, as were the domesticated zebras. As the wedding could tell you, Magnus knew a lot of people, and so could call in a lot of favours.

Everyone cried. It wouldn't have been a wedding if they hadn't. Magnus picked Alec up in a bridal lift afterwards, making Alec yell, but no amount of persuasion could make him put Alec down, until the cake appeared and they needed both hands. Cake is always important. 

After the wedding, they went back to the condominium they had booked, and the wedding night was certainly very active. A mere wedding was not enough to stop Magnus Bane, and Alec definitely had a lot of stamina. They alternated between talking and a more energetic activity until morning, when Alec's stamina ran out and he collapsed in his Alpha's arms, exhausted. Magnus stroked the hair back from his forehead and held him as he slept. 

* * *

A few weeks later, they found out their family would be expanding. Magnus picked Alec up and spun him round and round until suddenly he put him down gently, afraid he would hurt the baby. Alec chuckled and reassured him, then started vomiting. Magnus remained worried.

Nine months later, Max Lightwood-Bane was born. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am aware that Rafael is older, but Max was introduced before him, so I made him the kid. Kudos and comments much appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> Look at me I did a past tense fic for once! What a shocker. Anyway, my usual "kudos and comments much appreciated".


End file.
